Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Broken Arrow, OK
VS
Santa Maria, CA
🏆 Broken Arrow leads 19 of 23 categories
Broken Arrow
Oklahoma
19
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.5 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$82,547 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
59 ✓ Safer
Population
114,237 ✓ Larger
Santa Maria
California
4
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$81,237
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
109,543
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Broken Arrow, OK
Pros
Homes cost $227k less ($210,800 vs $438,100)
66% less violent crime than Santa Maria
Rent averages $585/mo less ($1,183 vs $1,768)
24% cheaper overall cost of living than Santa Maria
Violent crime is well below the national average (223.1 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.0 pts lower (4.3%)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Santa Maria, CA
Pros
Cooler summers — July highs near 73°F vs 94°F
Milder winters — January highs near 65°F vs 49°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $438,100
Higher rents — median is $1,768/mo
Violent crime (660.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 24% higher than Broken Arrow
Key Differences at a Glance
Broken Arrow
Cost of Living
24% cheaper
COL index 89.5 vs 113.5 (100 = US avg)
Broken Arrow
Median Income
$1,310
$82,547 vs $81,237/yr
Broken Arrow
Violent Crime
66% lower
223.1 vs 660.6 per 100k
Broken Arrow
Median Home Value
$227k less
$210,800 vs $438,100
Broken Arrow
Unemployment
2.0 pp lower
4.3% vs 6.3% unemployment
Broken Arrow
Summer Heat
20.2°F warmer
July avg high 93.5°F vs 73.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Broken Arrow, OK | Santa Maria, CA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.5 ✓ Cheaper | 113.5⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $210,800 ✓ Lower | $438,100⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,183 ✓ Lower | $1,768⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $82,547 ✓ Higher | $81,237 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min ✓ Shorter | 22.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 9.2% ✓ Higher | 4.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 58 ✓ Safer | 140⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 59 ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 57 ✓ Safer | 90 |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) ✓ Better | C- (62) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.4% ✓ Higher | 14.5% |
| High School or Higher | 94.2% ✓ Higher | 63.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | BROKEN ARROW | Santa Maria-Bonita |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 48.9°F | 64.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 93.5°F ✓ Warmer | 73.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 42.7" | 13.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 8.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 114,237 ✓ Larger | 109,543 |
| Median Age | 36.8 ✓ Older | 29.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 72.5% ✓ Higher | 51.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.3% | 31.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.1% ✓ More | 10.7% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Broken Arrow's cost of living index is 89.5 vs Santa Maria's 113.5 (US average = 100).
Broken Arrow is 24% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Broken Arrow leads 19 of 23 categories. Broken Arrow wins 19 and Santa Maria wins 4. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Broken Arrow to Santa Maria or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($210,800 vs $438,100 median home), income ($82,547 vs $81,237), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Broken Arrow, OK and Santa Maria, CA are about 1,386 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.